Together Since Birth
by Magiccatprincess
Summary: Gwen and Ben have always celebrated their birthday together. Whether they wanted to or not. 5 times Gwen and Ben spend their birthday together, and the one time they didn't. Story written by me and Wildmuttpuppy.
1. Chapter 1

**Together Since Birth.**

Disclaimer: We don't own Ben 10.

_**Birth-day.**_

"She's beautiful, Natalie." Max Tennyson told his daughter in-law, gazing down, lovingly at the tiny baby in his arms. The baby-girl had a few light hairs, and large green eyes that looked up at her grandfather curiously.

"Thanks, Max." Natalie smiled tiredly. It had been a quick birth, everything going exactly the way it should and happening on time, but that didn't mean the mother wasn't exhausted.

Her husband gently squeezed her hand. "You did great, Nat," Frank told his wife, unable to wipe the grin from his face. "Just look at her," he said, his eyes on his new daughter. "little Gwendolyn Tennyson."

Max stayed till visiting hours were over. When he walked out of the hospital he noticed that his Plumber badge was beeping and not only that, but he also had fifteen missed calls from his youngest son, Carl.

Max sighed and dialed Carl's number. "Oh boy, this should be good." The guy better have a good excuse for not answering his phone when Frank tried to call him a couple of hours ago. "Carl, what's wrong?"

He expected his youngest son to begin the conversation with his 'It wasn't my fault' tone.

"_Dad?_"

Instead Max was surprised by the fear in Carl's tone. "Carl? What's the matter? What's wrong?" Because something had to be wrong, Carl hadn't sounded this sacred in years.

"S-Something happened while Sandra was at the mall," the man started, his voice unsteady. "I don't know what, people are talking about a tiny black electricity creature B-but... The entire mall is without power and Sandra's been stuck in an elevator for hours."

Max blinked. "That's it?" He'd expected something worse. Although in a way he did understand why Carl was being overprotective, after all Sandra was 33 weeks pregnant. "I get you're worried, but I'm sure Sandra's gonna be fin-"

"She went into labor, dad."

All Max's thoughts came to a sudden halt. He couldn't have heard that right, Sandra was only 8 months pregnant, she couldn't be into labor yet, this must be some twisted joke- but Carl wouldn't joke about something like that.

Cursing under his breath Max gripped his phone. "Stay calm! I'm on my way!" He ordered before shoving his phone back into his pocket and rushing to the Rust Bucket.

Max broke a lot of traffic rules while driving to the mall, he even got hold up by a police car, but the officer let his drive by once he explained that his daughter-in-law had gone into labor a month too soon, while stuck in an elevator.

Once at the mall it was easy to find out which elevator it was all about. A massive crowd had gathered around the elevator, Carl along with three fireman, two medics and a technician stood at the front of the crowd.

"Carl!" Max cried, struggling to get past the crowd and rush to his son's side.

Carl's shoulders visibly slumped when he spotted his father. "Dad!"

Max put his hand on Carl's shoulder. "Are Sandra and the baby okay?"

Carl sighed and sadly shook his head. "I don't know," he admitted. "they're still trying to get in there."

Just then they heard a loud rumbling sound come from the elevators.

"They're coming down!" The technician cried when he finished fixing the wiring. He'd never worked this fast in his life.

The entire crowd fell silent, all eyes on the elevator. It felt like ages till the doors opened.

"Sandra!" Carl cried spotting his wife. He and the two medics rushed inside the elevator.

"Carl!" Sandra sobbed. The young woman was lying on the crowd, covered in sweat and trembling.

The medics quickly lifted the woman onto a stretcher and started carrying her to the ambulance.

Carl and Max got in the ambulance, the moment the doors closed the ambulance took of.

"It's gonna be alright, honey." Carl said squeezing his wife's hand, wincing at her tight grip as the woman let out a loud cry.

Max tried to stay out of the way so the medics could do their job. For some reason he positive that things would be alright for both Sandra and the baby. The baby was a Tennyson after all... "Looks like Ken's going to have a new baby sister and baby cousin in the same day." Max commented, not a trace of doubt in his voice.

That got Carlo to tear his eyes away from his life to look at Max, a look of shock on his pale face. "Natalie had her baby?"

Max nodded, a small smile. "Yeah, little Gwendolyn." After saying that his attention went back to hard working medics.

"This baby is coming now!" One of the medics cried, putting on clean rubber gloves.

"No!" Sandra sobbed, weakly shaking her head. "It's too soon! I-it's not-"

"Sorry m'am, but your baby seems to disagree with you." The older one of the two medics, Dr. Howards, cried. He turned to his colleague. "Call the hospital and tell them to have an incubator ready, we'll be arriving in 10 minutes."

He then brought his attention back to his patient. "Now, mrs Tennyson." He started, his tone gentle. "I know this is scary, but it's all going to be alright." He assured her. "So when I say push, I need you to push as hard as you can. Got it?"

Sandra nodded weakly, her lower lip trembling.

"Push!"

Carl cringed when his wife squeezed his hands tighter than he anticipated.

Sandra clenched her eyes shut and pushed.

"That's it, mrs. Tennyson." The doctor went on.

"Push!"

Letting out another sob Sandra did what the doctor said and pushed.

Carl wanted to clench his eyes shut when Sandra's grip became hard enough to crush his bones(at least that's how it felt), but that's when he saw something that would forever be imprinted in his memory and his grip loosened. "I see it!"

"You're doing great Sandra!" Max encouraged. "Keep going it."

The medic nodded. "He's mrs. You're moment away from having a beautiful baby. Now I need you to push. Come on! One more time!"

Sandra sobbed and shook her head. "I can't! I can't! I can't!"

"Yes you can!" Carl insisted tightening his grip on his wife's hand. "Come on Sandra, you can do this!"

With a small boost of confidence, Sandra found the strength to give one final push.

Moments later the wonderful sound of small voice crying out, filled the ambulance.

"It's a boy!" The young medic cheered.

**...**

Two hours later, Max was standing outside Sandra's hospital, looking at the exhausted family through the window. Sandra was fast asleep in the hospital bed and Carl would join her in the land of dreams soon. Max just hoped the man wouldn't fall out of the plastic chair he was in.

Besides the bed was an incubator with the newest edition to the Tennyson family. Tiny, little Benjamin Tennyson.

"Dad?"

Max glanced at his left where he saw Frank standing there, his new daughter in his arms, she was covered in a soft looking, pink blanket. Max smiled at his eldest son. "Today was a big day for our family."

"I'll say." Frank nodded. He looked through the window, his eyes going from his tired looking younger brother, to the tiny baby in the incubator. "Is he gonna be okay?" The baby boy looked even smaller than Gwendolyn...

"Ben's gonna be just fine." Max nodded, a soft smile on his face. "He might not be the biggest, but I'm pretty sure he has that famous Tennyson stubbornness that you and your brother are so proud of."

Frank chuckled. "A whole new generation of stubborn Tennysons? I doubt the world is ready for that."

As if on cue Gwendolyn shifted in her father's arms and opened her eyes.

"You and Ben will make the world ready, won't you kiddo." Max smiled down at his granddaughter. "I bet you two are gonna be really close."

* * *

_**Clowning around with Peacocks.**_

"AUNTIE SANDRAAAA!" A now four-year-old Gwen Tennyson wailed, running across her parents' large backyard to her aunt. "Ben's trying to melt my dolls heads with his magnifying glass!" She cried coming to a stop in front of her aunt.

"Tattle tail!" A voice cried.

Sandra sighed, after she and Natalie had gone to so much trouble to organise this party it seemed a little unfair with how bored the children had gotten. "Ben!"

Immediately the little boy stopped with what he was doing and walked over to his mother, a big smile plastered over his face as he hid something behind his back. "Hi Mommy!"

Sandra was having none of it though. "Benjamin," She started, putting her hands on her hips. "how many times do I have to tell you not to break your cousins' toys? And I'm sure that's not what your grandfather gave you that magnifying glass for." Frowning she held out her hand.

"Aaaaw!" Pouting, Ben gave his mom his magnifying glass. "But I'm bored!" He whined, throwing his short arms up in the air. "This party is no fun!"

"Well the party entertainment just showed up," Sandra said, smiling down at her son, hoping that her excitement would get him excited to see the clown too. "go join the other kids and your cousins, he'll be starting any minute."

Ben looked in the direction of the clown, Gwen had already sat down on the floor amongst the other kids so she could watch the clown perform. Ben had seen the clown arrive, and the too small four-year-old had absolutely no intention of going anywhere near the guy dressed in the purple suit. Who even has green hair? It was weird, and the guy's grin was so... fake and wrong.

Instead Ben looked at his mom and tried to make his large green eyes seem even bigger and his lower lip went forward. "Can I have cake?" He asked pointing at the large chocolate cake his uncle had just put on the table.

Sandra's smile dropped. "No sweetie, I already told you, that cake is for the others. I made special one just for you." She said, grinning proudly as she pointed to her homemade small, dark brown cake.

It wasn't exactly round and most of it was burned, but Sandra would refuse to let her son to eat a cake from a bakery. No matter how much Frank and Natalie swore that there was absolutely no chance of there being any peanuts in it.

Four-year-old let out a disappointed sigh. "When is gwandpa coming?" At least Grandpa Max was fun and not boring like all the other adults here. And if the clown attacked then Max could come and kick his butt!

Grandpa Max was a hero in the four-year-old's eyes and nothing would change his view on that.

"There was an emergency at your grandpa's work, sweetie." Sandra told him wincing when Ben's shoulders slumped. "But he said he'll try and get here as fast as he could." He words did nothing to cheer the boy up. Sandra bit her lip, no toddler should look this upset on his birthday.

Deciding that Ben needed some cheering up, Sandra grabbed his hand. "Come on honey," She said as they started walking. "Lets go watch the clown together."

Chewing on his lower lip, Ben looked in the direction of the clown, who was just about to start his performance. Deciding that it wouldn't be so bad if his mom went with him the four-year-old nodded. "Okay..."

Together Ben and his mom walked over to where the other kids were sitting and watching the clown, and sat down on the grass, just in time for the show to start.

"Hey there kids! My name is Bobo!" The clown introduced himself, his voice high-pitched and silly. He nodded down the large peacock standing at his side. "and this is my friend Rainbow the peacock!"

Rainbow squawked in greeting.

Bobo looked at the crowd, a large grin pasted on his painted face. "Now who are the lucky birthday kids today?"

Gwen immediately raised her hand up as high as she could. "Me!" She proudly declared.

A moment later Ben's hand slowly went up too.

"Terrific!" Bobo exclaimed, dancing around in a little circle. "Why don't you two come on up here and help me with a magic trick?"

"Yay!" Gwen waisted no time and quickly got up and went to stand besides the clown.

Ben swallowed nervously and looked at his mom. "Mommy..." He really didn't want to go to stand with the clown and his big weird bird.

"It's okay sweetie," Sandra encouraged Ben, a small smile on her face. "it'll be fun."

Ben wasn't so sure, but got up and shuffled to stand next to Gwen.

Bobo's grin widened as he looked down at the two little kids. "Now what are your names?"

Gwen beamed under the clown's attention. "Gwen!" She proudly told the green-haired entertainer.

"B-ben." Ben answered now slowly trying to scoot behind his cousin so the big clown couldn't see him anymore.

"Well alrighty then!" Bobo happily clapped his hands together. He looked down at his feathered assistant. "Rainbow, can you get my magic cards please?"

Rainbow followed the order and stuck her head into her owner's bag. When she pulled her head back out she had a stack of cards in her beak.

All the kids clapped their hands, Gwen even giggled at the peacock's trick.

"I'm gonna do a really neat trick," Bobo told the crowd, sounding as if he was letting the kids in on a big secret. "but first I need the birthday kids to pick out a card, each."

Gwen was quick to pick out a card and pulled it out of Rainbow's beak. She even patted his head once she had a card.

Ben on the other hand hesitated and stared at the large blue bird.

"What's the matter?" Gwen asked when it became apparent her cousin wasn't gonna grab a card. "You scared?"

"Nuh uh!" Ben furiously shook his head and quickly grabbed a card from Rainbow's beak. He moved to fast which caused all the cards to fall out of the peacock's beak.

"Woops," Bobo giggled loudly. "I got it." The clown exclaimed before bending down to pick up the cards.

Ben backed away when the clown got too close and accidentally stepped on Rainbow's foot.

The peacock squawked in pain and pecked Ben.

"Hey!" Ben cried pulling hand back to look at the scrape on the back of his hand. "Stupid meanie bird!" He yelled at the peacock waving his arm at it in a 'shoo' gesture. His action only angered the bird and it tried pecking at him again.

"Stop it Rainbow!" Bobo the clown cried, holding on to his peacock's leash, but she seemed to have a different idea and lunged forward, pulling her owner forward aswell causing him to fall-

Right on top of Ben.

All the children gasped, some even screamed. Had the clown just killed their cousin

Sandra instantly got to her feet. "BEN!"

Bobo quickly got back to his feet. "I am so sorry!" He tried to help Ben up, but the four-year-old pushed his hands away and crawled backwards trying to get away from the clown.

Ben scrambled to his feet and ran to his mom. "Mommy!" he wailed, burying his face against her shoulder. "I wanna go home!"

"Shhs, sweetie, it's okay now." Sandra rubbed circles over Ben's back. She stood up, Ben in her arms. "Sir," She glared at the clown. "I suggest training that bird better before bringing it near children!"

Bobo squirmed under the woman's harsh glare. He had nothing to say to that... Well nothing except "...am I still getting paid?"

"I think not!" A new voice spoke up.

Everyone turned around to Natalie walk out of the house, a gift in her hands.

"Mommy!" Gwen cheered running to her mother's side. "Mom, Bobo's bird tried to eat Ben and- And then Bobo squashed Ben!" Gwen cried pulling on her mom's hand so the woman would understand how important what she was saying was.

Natalie nodded, I know honey, I saw it through the window." She assured her daughter, her harsh glare not leaving the clown. "And Bobo the clown is gonna be in a lot of trouble because of it."

"What!" Bobo cried, his eyes widening in shock, his voice now low and angry. "Listen lady, I came here and did my act! You have no right to-"

"No right?" Natalie repeated, the intensity of her glare growing. She jerked her head in the direction of her sister-in-law who was still trying to calm her son down. Ben who wouldn't stop crying. "Not only has your idiotic bird ruined my daughter and her cousin's birthday party, but you also traumatized my nephew!"

For a moment Bobo stared at the boy who was still sobbing in his mother's arms. Eyes narrowing he turned back to Natalie and started grabbing his things. Muttering something very rude under his breath Bobo the clown stomped away. He went into the house and moments later they all heard the front door slam shut.

For a few tense seconds the backyard was completely silent except for Ben's silent sobs.

Finally Natalie turned to the kids. "Well then," She said smiling nervously, hoping the kids wouldn't let that one moment define the rest of the party. "how about some cake?"

Her answer came in the form of loud cheers and all the kids rushing to the table.

Meanwhile Sandra had finally managed to calm her son down. Though the boy's quiet sniffles made it clear that he was no longer in party mood.

Sandra used her thumb to wipe away the tear tracks on Ben's face. "Do you want some cake before going home honey?"

Using his sleeve to wipe his eyes Ben slowly nodded.

Smiling Sandra carried Ben to the table and put him down in a chair next to Gwen. The other kids started singing 'Happy Birthday' once that was done Natalie cut the chocolate cake.

That wasn't for Ben though. Once his mom handed him his hypo-allergy cake Ben got up and went to sit down under one of the large trees. He stared at his squishy cake and sighed sullenly.

Gwen saw her cousin slip away. Frowning she stood up on her chair and reached for last the cut up chocolate cake. The little girl then jumped off of her chair and walked over to the tree where Ben was sitting. "Here." She mumbled holding out the piece of chocolate cake.

Ben looked at the cake Gwen was holding out to him, and finally smiled. "Thanks." He said taking the piece of cake and taking a large bite, getting chocolate all over his face in the process.

"You're welcome." Gwen chirped, sitting down on the ground besides her cousin. "Sorry the clown was a big meanie and tried to kill you."

"Is okay." Ben smiled and grabbed his new magnifying glass from his pocket. "Wanna play detective super-heroes?"

"Sure." Gwen nodded grinning. "We'll fight the big blue bird monster!"

"Awesome!"


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: We don't own Ben 10.

**New Flavors.**

After his plans were ruined by the Tennysons Animo glared daggers at them while he was being shoved into a police car. "CURSE YOU BEN TENNYSON! CURSE YOU AND YOUR MEDDLING WAYS!"

The police officer rolled his eyes. "Shut up and just get in the car!" Once Animo was in the car Max, Ben, and Gwen watched it drive off. Max patted his grandkids shoulders.

"Good job kids, not a bad way to spend a birthday weekend." Ben smirked. "Well I did most of the butt kicking. Gwen just did her bibbidi bobbidi whatever stuff.

Gritting her teeth in frustration Gwen turned to her cousin. "I'll Bibbdi Bobbidi Boo you butt!" She shrieked, her hands glowing pink.

"You gotta catch me first!" Ben cried, hitting the omnitrix and transforming into Stinkfly.

Max chuckled watching his grandkids chase each other around. It was funny to watch two kids save humanity and then fall back on their childish bickering. Shaking his head at their antics Max headed to the Rust Bucket.

He got their table outside in the grass field, and put three chairs around it. Max then went back inside the Rust Bucket to get a special treat.

When Max came outside with a box in his hands he saw Gwen sitting on top of Ben with her hand over the omnitrix. Ben tried to wiggle free. "Get your big butt off!"

Gwen smirked "Not until you say I'm the best cousin in the whole universe and magic is cool."

"Heck no!"

Max put the box down on the tabel "Gwen, get off your cousin. I got a special treat for you two." Both of them got up and sat down at the tabel. Max opened the box, revealing a cake with Gwen and Ben's names written on it. "Happy Birthday!"

Gwen smiled at their grandfather. "Wow grandpa, this cake looks awesome! Where'd you get it?"

"I made it!"

Ben and Gwen's eyes widened and they looked at each other. Ben looked back at Max suspiciously. "What did you put in it?"

"It's just a regular chocolate cake, but the frosting is made of Amber Ogia."

Gwen raised an eyebrow. "Amber Ogia? What's that?"

Max began cutting the cake. "It's a really delicious fruit. I'm sure you kids will like it." He put a slice of cake on two plates and handed them to his grandkids.

After a quick rock, paper, scissors game, Ben glared at his cousin after he lost, and tried a piece. His eyes widened in surprise.

"Oh wow. This is actually pretty good."

The frosting had a weird exotic sweetness to it, but Ben was okay with it... Which was weird. But the cake was actually very good. Grinning, the now 11-year-old hero started stuffing his face with cake.

"You're getting cake everywhere Doofus." Gwen muttered making, a look of disgust on her face as she watched her cousin eat. Sighing she grabbed a fork and took some of her piece of cake.

Gwen's eyes widened. "It is good."

"You two need to learn to taste new things." Max chuckled. "Happy Birthday, kids."

**Wake up...**

Gwen walked into the hospital room with two soda's in her hands. She walked over to her cousin who was sitting next to the bed and handed one to him. "How's he doing?"

"The same." Ben groaned in annoyance when his now deeper voice cracked. "Stupid puberty." The thirtteen-year-old muttered crossing his arms.

Gwen rolled her eyes. "Every dude goes through the same thing you're going through Ben." She sat next to him and looked at their grandpa sadly. Ben sighed. "Happy birthday to us..."

"He'll-" Gwen paused. She wanted to say that Grandpa Max would be fine, how he'd always pulled through in the past and that he would do so again, but she couldn't. Because he'd never been unconscious this long before. "The doctors said he has a good chance."

"Yeah..." Ben sighed, averting his gaze. "I just want him to wake up..."

"Me too." Gwen looked at her grandfather and pit on her inner cheek. Grandpa Max wasn't supposed to look so... So old. "Right now that's the only thing that I want for my birthday."

Ben nodded. "Ditto. And I don't mean my alien." Gwen smirked at the small joke. "Cute Doofus."

Ben just shrugged. "I'm trying to lighten the mood a little."

"Well, you get an A for effort."

"Now you're sounding like-" Ben froze when the man in the hospital bed stirred. "Grandpa Max!"

Max's eyes fluttered open. For a moment he gazed at the ceiling, waiting for his vision to clear, then he looked at the two people sitting at his bedside and looking at his with wide-eyes expressions. "Hey, kiddos." Max smiled weakly. "Happy birthday."

"Grandpa!" Ben and Gwen cheered diving down to hug their grandfather.

"Easy there." Max chuckled patting their back, touched by their concern and also feeling guilty for making the two-young children worry so much. "It's alright. I'm okay now."

"How do you even know today is our birthday?" Gwen asked when she finally pulled away. "You've been unconscious for days!"

Max smiled. "My eyes were closed, that didn't mean I didn't hear you."

Now that their grandfather was awake, it was a good time to tease Ben. "So you even heard how Ben sounded like a squawking bird every time his voice cracked?"

Ben glared at her. "HEY!" He cringed when his voice cracked again, making Gwen giggle. "Sorry, couldn't help it."

**My Super Sweet Sixteen.**

It was the party of the year. Really, the whole school would be talking about it for months. And the whole thing was for Gwen Tennyson. One of her friends in school had the house for herself for the weekend and had decided to throw Gwen a Sweet Sixteen party, complete with booze and loud music.

Most sixteen-year-olds would love it.

Just not Gwen.

Which was why she was trying to make her way past the drunk party goers. Preferably before the police showed up to end this madness that her class mates called a 'party.

Gwen pulled out her phone and dialed the first number she saw. a few moments later Ben answered. "Hey Dweeb- Whoa what's with the loud music? Even Kevin can hear it."

Gwen sighed. "My friend got a little carried away with the party. What are you two up to?"

"We're in the Rust Bucket at Grandpa's favorite fishing spot. Want to join after the party?"

Gwen looked back at the house. "You know what, I think I'll come right over. I really doubt anyone will notice I'm gone."

"Alright, Kevin says he'll pick you up. see you soon."

Thirty minutes Gwen and Kevin arrived at the fishing spot where Ben and Max were just putting the trouts they'd caught on the barbecue. Ben smiled when he saw her and Kevin walk over to them. "Hey guys, what took ya so long?"

"We had to make a stop one the way." Gwen grinned and held an all too familiar bag and putting it onto the table and pulled the four cups out of the ba.

"Mr. Smoothies!" Ben cried quick to grab his cup. "Thanks Gwen!"

"No problem Doofus." Gwen smiled and sat down on the mat besides Kevin, her eyes on the star-lit sky.

Good food, grandpa Max, her sweet boyfriend and her favorite doofus all in one place.

The anidote smiled and rested her head against Kevin's shoulder. "Now this is how I like to spend my birthday."


End file.
